Food Packages

It all began with an argument between the organization’s founders, Rabbi Yaakov and Hadassah Vizel, regarding whether there is really a population of truly poor and hungry people in 20th century Israel.

Rabbi Yaakov argued that such a situation is not possible in a developed country with an active welfare system. Hadassah, on the other hand, insisted that she personally knew such cases. Her husband found it hard to believe and set out to investigate. To his surprise, not to mention regret, he realized that this time he has lost an argument.

The severe poverty and hunger to which they were exposed led both husband and wife to declare a heroic war to eradicate hunger in Israel.

In the early years of Yad Eliezer, the Vizels worked for long hours to fill basket after basket; a bag of pasta, a bottle of oil, another can of tuna and another chicken. Thus they assembled food baskets comprised of essentials for needy families – all collected from neighbors and acquaintances. So it was week after week.

The passion to help has not waned and the warmth of the heart has not cooled. The size of the basket has only increased, in direct proportion to the size of the needy families. Yad Eliezer still continues with the same modest ambition – to fulfill the needs of families who are craving food.

Yad Eliezer takes care to maximize efficiency as an array of thousands of volunteers collect food supplies, sort them, and prepare them for delivery.